I got another opinion on my MRI today. The news was a little different. My orthopedist said he thought that I should just keep icing it, taking Advil, and that I could start running again and see how it went. He said I couldn't really make it worse by running, I'd just be slowing the recovery, which might actually be favorable to losing ground with running. He also said he could give me shots of cortisone for the inflammation, and lubricants, for the joint, but that since I have a very high sensitivity to steroids, I'd have to get clearance from another doctor first. What a hassle...
I hung up and immediately plunged my foot into a bag of ice under my desk. I've decided I'm going to keep my foot on ice until November 7th. And if I make it to the start line of the marathon, I might run in an ice boot with a roller skate embedded in the base. Nobody will notice. People are focused on their own experience, right?
I'm going to call another podiatrist for a third opinion. I feel like the ortho was a bit nonchalant with his diagnosis. I mean, I don't want to hurt myself more! I did try running through it, and that's how I got to today. So, we'll see; maybe someone else will have another idea. Why not? In the meanwhile, I'm planning to try to run tomorrow with my marathon class, so tonight, I took to the pool and bike.
Thanks very much to my friend Amanda who enlightened me about swim caps! So nice of her to have set me straight. For those who might be interested in the difference between latex and silicone caps, latex is for racing, and you put conditioner on your hair first, under the cap, to prevent breakage. Silicone on the other hand is for everyday, and you don't use conditioner with silicone... ever. OOPS! I tried the new silicone cap again tonight - the one that kept popping of my head before - this time without conditioner - and it was perfect. Thanks, Mandy-belle!
I swam 20 laps using a buoy between my legs to start, just as I'd done the last time. The whole time I was swimming I was debating whether to pull the buoy out; if I'm going to be running tomorrow, I might as well use my legs today...
So, I took off doing a really vigorous crawl and it felt so great! That full body motion brought me back to what it was like to have a tantrum as a little girl. (Oh... I was good at those!) Just, pounding the water with my fists and feet, letting it all out. What an awesome relief! Also, a great workout. Eventually I had to alternate between craw, breast stroke, back stroke (traditional and survival), and butterfly. I added under water turns. And I started screaming.
Yes, screaming. I started to get exhausted around 20 minutes in and naturally began making a noise under water as I exhaled. "Ahhhhh!" Kind of a mild complaint. Eventually, I pumped up the volume and thought about everything I'm mad about right now and it was incredibly cathartic! I did wonder vaguely whether the lifeguard, or the man in the lane next to me (who got out around this time and left the pool!) could hear me; but I really didn't care. "Ahhhh!" "Ahhhhh!" "Ahhh!" Good stuff.
After the pool I rinsed off, put my beach dress on over my bathing suit, and went barefoot to the stationary bike and rode, just like that, dripping wet. My mind was as blank as it's ever been. This might be my version of the "clear head" runners report achieving, that continues to allude me. Maybe I just need to have a proper tantrum once in a while, and that's the only way I'm going to get my tiny little bit of peace.
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